RFID for mobile maintenance in rail transport
SBB AG optimises the maintenance of its multiple units with the “Modular Revision”. Maintenance is carried out during downtimes, RFID and SAP improve data quality. The aim: less downtime, more availability.
The Swiss Federal Railways – “Schweizerischen Bundesbahnen” (SBB) is the backbone of public transport in Switzerland and is one of Europe’s leading railway companies. Over one million passengers use their reliable, punctual and high-quality services every day.
A special feature of SBB is the seamless integration of all modes of transport – from train and bus to boat and urban transport.
Thanks to state-of-the-art technologies and AI-supported solutions, SBB optimises its infrastructure and maintenance, while positioning itself as a pioneer of sustainable mobility with almost 100% renewable energy.
High service quality, technological excellence and consistent customer focus make SBB the leading mobility service provider in Switzerland and an international benchmark.
High utilisation of existing resources and capacities forms the basis for the economic business activities of asset-intensive companies, especially transport companies. High fleet availability increasingly restricts the intervention period for maintenance activities and thus increases the pressure on integrated planning. The optimisation of the various wear limits of installed components and the associated replacement concepts are in the area of conflict. Stricter changes to legislation, such as ECM conformity, are also increasing the pressure on affected companies.
Wear limits are often not utilised
In the classic overhaul of rail vehicles, the bogies or the wheelsets installed in them are usually the trigger for an overhaul. During this overhaul, other technical systems of the vehicle are replaced and refurbished. The actual wear limits are often not utilised.
Modularisation of maintenance work
SBB AG is responding to this situation and the requirements described above with a correspondingly adapted maintenance strategy for the multiple unit fleet. The main element of this strategy is the modularisation of time-consuming preventive maintenance work. Put simply, as in a stage race, the time available for maintenance work due between sections is utilised.
11,877,379
Passengers transported per year
920
Employees
90
Route network (km)
272
Trains per day
To realise the necessary IT processes and functions, SBB AG turned to its long-standing partner, valantic. This consulting company is used by SBB AG to implement and optimise SAP-supported logistics and maintenance processes. With its help, the challenge of seamlessly integrating the requirements into the existing process landscape was mastered.
Increasing service life through individual and wear-based maintenance
Part of the adapted maintenance strategy is the division of time-consuming train overhauls and their decentralised execution at various locations (service facilities and industrial plants). Individual components (serialised equipment) have been fitted with counters to ensure optimum utilisation of wear limits. The associated performance-based maintenance planning is component-related and individualised. A maintenance plan manager is used for the mass management of multiple counter plans and work plans. Maintenance planning ensures that future maintenance work on components is carried out in line with wear and tear and that the wear reserve is optimally utilised.
Simplified equipment management through mobile processing and the use of RFID tags
Safety-relevant and strategic components are mapped as serialised equipment using the SAP system to ensure traceability. Mobile devices and RFID tags are used to simplify the handling of equipment and the execution of maintenance processes. This increases data quality in the SAP system and makes it much easier for the user to manage equipment in a timely manner. The standard “equipment exchange” process can thus be booked to the object with system support in just a few steps without complex entries in the SAP system.
Mobile processing
prompt recording in the system directly on site
Maintenance plan manager
process-controlled application
Clear identification of the equipment
using RFID tags and serialised equipment
Meter-based data acquisition
performance-based maintenance planning
Configuration management
Traceability of components
Evaluations of maintenance activities
Increase in availability
Improving data quality
Utilisation of wear limits
Increasing the service life of components
Distribution of maintenance measures over the natural downtime period
Reduction of downtime
Optimum utilisation of resources and capacities
One of the main innovations was the introduction of a configuration management system to ensure that the vehicle structure is authorised and complete. This makes it possible to carry out target structure checks during installation and at the end of order processing. A traffic light-based target structure report enables the user to display a target/actual comparison of the vehicle structures at any time. A correction process is available for unauthorised installation combinations.
Automatic triggering of follow-up processes
Follow-up processes are supported, for example, by automatically generated messages when components are installed or removed. These serve as the basis for further follow-up processes, such as repair.
The functions described above represent only a part of the extended or new functions that have been realised with the “modular revision”. They form the basis for further planned introductions in the coming years.
Other ongoing SBB AG projects will build on the processes, functions and findings of the project. Other vehicle fleets and other component types will also be mapped in SAP, including the RFID tags, in future in accordance with their economic potential or legal requirements.
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